u/Many_Height6945

I plan on taking my apprenticeship test and interview in a couple days. I’ve wanted to be a welder for a while how likely I’m I to get in and what can I do to boost my odds?

I’m 18 years old and welded for 2 years in high school. I earned my AWS 9.1 certification and I’m trying to figure out the best way to get my foot in the door and start building a career in welding.
My long-term goal is to work turnarounds/shutdowns, gain as much experience as possible, and eventually own my own welding rig and work for myself.
Right now I’m not enrolled in trade school because I’d rather start working and getting real-world experience if possible. I’ve been looking at entry-level welding jobs, helper positions, apprenticeships, and fabrication shops, but I’m not sure where employers are most willing to hire someone with my background.

I'm trying to get as close to $10,000 as possible by September 1 and want some honest feedback on whether it's realistic and what my best options are.
Current assets:
Cash: $1,161.30
Savings: $1,706.60
Checking: $91.23
Investments: $259.53 (VOO and VNQ)
Total: $3,218.66
Income:
About $320 every two weeks

To hit $10k, I'd need roughly another $6,781 in the next couple of months.
I'm looking for practical advice on:
Increasing income quickly
Side hustles that are actually worth the time
Whether I should focus entirely on earning more vs. cutting expenses
Any realistic strategies people have used to save several thousand dollars in a short period
I know investing isn't likely to turn $3k into $10k safely in that timeframe, so I'm mainly looking at income and savings strategies.
What would be your approach if you were in my situation? Any advice is appreciated.